Samuel Basallo agreed to an eight-year extension with the Baltimore Orioles that guarantees $67 million, includes a 2034 club option, and can reach $88.5 million with incentives and escalators. Basallo recently turned 21 and signed the largest pre-arbitration extension for a catcher in MLB history early in his major-league career. He entered 2025 as a consensus top-15 prospect and hit .270/.377/.589 (151 wRC+) with 23 homers and a 13.7% walk rate in 76 Triple-A Norfolk games while being the youngest qualified hitter in the International League. He began his MLB stint 3-for-10 with a double, a run, five RBI, a hit-by-pitch, and one strikeout across his first 11 plate appearances. Some outside evaluations raised questions about his defense behind the plate, and GM Mike Elias previously noted that Basallo needed more work there, though team leadership has shown confidence by promoting him and completing the extension.
The Orioles are locking up top catching prospect Samuel Basallo to an eight-year, extension that guarantees the youngster $67MM, as first reported by Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Kostka adds that the deal includes a club option for the 2034 season and maxes out at $88.5MM if all incentives and escalators are reached. Basallo, who celebrated his 21st birthday just nine days ago,
He was a consensus top-15 prospect in the sport entering the 2025 season and has only improved his stock since then after slashing .270/.377/.589 (151 wRC+) in 76 games for Triple-A Norfolk this season with 23 homers and a 13.7% walk rate. He did all that while being the youngest qualified hitter in the International League this year. That sort of sensational production left nothing for Basallo to prove at Triple-A in terms of his bat,
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